Glimpses
by Lyra Nights
Summary: A collection of various short themes for the NatsuLucy pairing. Rating will vary depending on themes.
1. Warmth

_LNights:_ Hey, it's been a while since I've posted anything. This time I decided to make a collection for one of my favorite pairings of Fairy Tail. I'm planning on keeping all the chapters quite small, but don't worry, since I have over 50 themes planned already and I bet I can think up more. xP  
The rating will vary depending on themes, as I said in the summary, so beware.  
And yes, this chapter is super short. xP

**Disclaimer:** Obviously, Fairy Tail doesn't belong to me, otherwise I would be drawing it right now instead of writing fanfic. xD

(**K+**)

* * *

**01: Warmth**

*****_She couldn't help but sigh in pleasure at the warmth that seemed to envelop her._*

* * *

Lucy peeked at the gloomy sky from under the covers, pondering on whether or not to leave the comfortableness and warmth of her bed.

The gray clouds and rain had persisted in the last few days – it was winter after all, - and the temperatures had dropped considerably, too. She wouldn't be too surprised to wake up to a snowy windowsill in the next weeks.

Closing her eyes she made a mental calculus of how much money she had left.

Since their group had taken a few missions in the last weeks she still had quite a good amount of jewels to spend, and didn't have to worry about rent for the time being, so she figured that getting up from her cosy bed to go to the guild didn't quite fit her plans for the day.

"Besides..." she whispered, snuggling closer to her source of warmth, and smiling as he pulled her closer, marveling at the warmth that enveloped her from that single movement, "…I'd much rather spend the day right here."

And as she fell back into sleep, she missed Natsu's crooked smile as he pulled her even closer before drifting off, himself.

* * *

_*He was always hot. He couldn't really help it - being the fire dragonslayer - and the least he could do was share his warmth with her__.*_


	2. Hold My Hand

**02: ****Hold My Hand**

.oºOºo.

**

* * *

**

*****_It was one of the first, most meaningful, actions he ever did for her.*_

* * *

Lucy was sitting by the counter, on her regular stool, looking at her mark while idly stirring the drink in her glass with the straw.

Or so it seemed.

I had passed by her several times while answering requests from other guild members, and I couldn't help but get increasingly curious as to why Lucy seemed to be so focused on her mark. She'd been staring at it for quite a while. Was something wrong with it? I didn't think that'd be likely.

Taking another look at her as I passed by, I finally noticed that instead of staring at the mark as I thought she was doing, she was actually lost in thought - her gaze unfocused, thought it was clear that she'd been staring at her hand before becoming absorbed in her thoughts.

"Mira! Another beer, please?"

Wavering, I looked between Lucy and another guild mate that had just asked for another drink before smiling apologetically and deciding to approach Lucy to make sure everything was okay. Taking mindful steps so I wouldn't startle her, I came closer.

"Lucy?" I called gently.

The girl blinked, looking a bit lost, as she raised her head and let her eyes sweep the area ahead of her before finally noticing me, as if she'd been aware that her name had been called, but not sure from where or by whom.

"Mira-san?" she questioned hesitantly. I nodded.

"Is everything alright?" I asked, concerned. It wasn't seldom to find Lucy lost in her own thoughts while writing, but the fact that she kept staring at her hand kept bugging me.

She seemed confused for a second.

"Of course," she replied, still rather unsure, "Why?"

"Well, you've been staring at your hand for quite a while. Is anything wrong with your mark?" I enquired, though I wasn't expecting that to be the case.

To my surprise, Lucy blushed slightly at my question before stammering back.

"N-no, nothing's wrong." She looked at the counter and put her hand in her lap while trying to distract herself by taking another drink from her milkshake.

'_Well, well, well… just what was it about my question that got her so flustered?_' I thought to myself.

"Oh?" I smiled, "Are you sure? There's no need to hide it, then."

"I'm not hiding it," she looked up at me, pouting.

I giggled at her cute expression.

"So why have you been staring at it so intently?" I tried again, "You seemed to be lost in thought for a moment."

She seemed to be scrutinizing me, as if considering if she should answer or not before she sighed and lifted her hand back into the counter, looking at it.

"I was just… remembering." She confessed softly, her blush increasing.

"Remembering?" I urged, still rather unsure of what had her blushing.

"Yes." She laughed softly before turning slightly from me to look at table area, her eyes quickly finding her team, which was obviously making a ruckus and was hence quite easy to find. "Do you know why I chose to bear the mark in my right hand?" she asked, finally.

I pondered for a while before answering.

"Well, I had thought it was related to your dream of becoming a writer, since you're right handed." I finally said.

"Yes, well, that's one of the reasons," she smiled at me before letting her eyes wander once again to her group, "but…"

I kept silent, waiting.

"…my right hand, besides being the hand with which I write and with which I summon my spirits…" she wavered a bit as her eyes once again strayed to the mark and she smiled, "It's also the hand he held while we ran from the military and he asked me to come along and join Fairy Tail, on the first day we met."

"Oh… So you've been thinking of Natsu all along?" I half-joked, finally understanding why she had been blushing.

"Mira!" she exclaimed looking up at me, quite flustered, before quickly looking around to make sure no one had heard. "Shhh!"

I laughed quietly, happy to find out she had feelings for him. I had hoped so.

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone." I promised as my eyes found Natsu staring at Lucy and I smiled at the slight blush he was also bearing, wondering if I should warn her that smell wasn't the only sense that Natsu had overdeveloped with his Dragon Slayer upbringing.

"Thanks, Mira," she smiled sheepishly at me.

Looking from one to another, I finally decided I didn't need to. I sighed and got back to work as I shook my head at their embarrassment.

She'd eventually find out.

* * *

*****_He hadn't given it much thought at the time, but thinking back, holding her hand and bringing her along was the best thing he could have ever done_.*

* * *

'ºoOoº'

(LNights: Yes, I am aware he held her wrist while pulling her along, but bear with me. I though holding her hand would be a nice touch. xP  
By the way, the phrases that are at the begining and ending of each chapter are Lucy's and Natsu's thoughts of each theme, respectively.  
Well, another chapter done. Hope you like it. Reviews are always welcome.)


	3. Chocolate

.o0O0o.

**03: ****Chocolate

* * *

**

*****_She moaned at the delicacy which she was currently indulging herself in, helplessly perceiving how it reminded her of her teammate.*

* * *

_

Lucy glanced once again at the book propped in the table behind her, wanting to make sure she was following the steps right.

She couldn't help but ask herself why she was even doing it.

Cooking.

For Natsu.

For _Valentine's Day_.

Why, why, _why_ had she promised to get something for her friends?

Forget about that. _Why_ had she decided that cooking would be a good option?

She never really cooked that much. At the Heartfilia residence they had chefs doing all the cooking and thought they did teach her a few things, mostly because she'd refuse to leave the kitchen without learning something, she never really had many opportunities to apply her knowledge. Once she ran from there, she'd only cooked when she didn't have enough money to go to a restaurant, and she rarely allowed her currency to get quite so low. And finally, coming to live in Magnolia, she'd mostly eat at the guild with her teammates.

'_But only because I think it's a waste of time to cook for just one person_,' she thought to herself, '_It's not because I'm anxious about my cooking skills at all,_' she tried to convince herself, '_Plus, I'd be lonely eating alone._' She added, completely disregarding the fact that they'd probably come to her place, anyways.

Mixing the dry ingredients as the recipe told her too, she allowed her mind to wander again.

Cooking really shouldn't have been an option. What if it turned out horrible? She had never tried this recipe before, after all! Why had she thought it'd be a good idea again?

Oh, right. Mira had thought so.

'_Of course she would think it was a good idea, she's a great cook_,' she thought sourly, '_If only I was as good as her._' She wailed mentally, while sifting the dry ingredients into the previous mixture and proceeding to mix it until it blended.

What if Natsu didn't like it? It was a pretty daring recipe after all. She could have chosen to make the regular heart shaped chocolate, but _no~_ she just had to come across this recipe and thinking it'd be perfect for him! Pink peppercorn chocolate cupcakes, what a brilliant idea!

Separating the batter into two recipients she picked up the key ingredient and stirred it in one of the bowls.

Since she wasn't sure how it would turn out she had opted to make some regular cupcakes just to be safe. After all, like this even if the recipe didn't turn out good she'd still have the regular ones. Plus, she didn't want to admit it, but she wanted Natsu's ones to be different anyways. She'd probably decorate the others with sprinkles for her other guild mates.

Carefully scooping the batter into cupcake papers, she nodded to herself, feeling accomplished. Now she only had to put them in the oven and hope they turned out good enough.

* * *

An hour later Lucy found herself at the guild entrance, still rather nervous.

She had tried one of the cupcakes to make sure they were good before giving them, and she'd been surprised at how good they'd actually turned out to be.

Shifting the basket in her arms she swallowed hard and entered the guild, her eyes sweeping over the crowd to find her team mates. While Natsu's pink hair was usually quite easy to pinpoint, the guild was profusely decorated with pink and red hearts, given the occasion, making it harder to find him.

Thankfully, though, Happy's blue fur seemed to stand out easily, and she took a deep breath and she held the basket more firmly, before heading towards him.

"Hey guys!" she called, trying to get their attention, since they seemed to be in a glaring battle.

"Lucy!" Happy turned to her, "You're late!"

"Ahah, I know, I know, I was just preparing your gifts, so it took me a bit more time." She smiled at the cat, noticing that the word '_gifts_' seemed to prove enough to put a hold on their never ending battle.

"You've got gifts for us?" Natsu asked, gleefully.

"Of course. I promised, right? I never break my promises!" she enthused.

"Right, right. It's a stellar spirit summoner's word!" he smirked.

"So what have you got for us?" Gray asked curiously, looking at the large basket in her hands.

"Oh, right," she giggled, opening the basket and taking out several boxes with differently coloured wrapped bows, extending one with a ice blue bow to Gray, "This one is yours!"

"Thanks," he smiled, taking the box, "That makes three gifts today." He boasted, "I'm winning, hot head."

"Winning?" she questioned while giving Happy his box, petting his head when he flung himself at her in a hug when he saw the fish shapped chocolate cake that he proceeded to eat, excitedly.

Natsu scoffed.

"Ice brain said he'd get more valentine gifts than me," he glared at his rival.

"Oh, so how many have you got, Natsu?" she asked, curiously.

He blushed, looking away.

"Just Mira's." he admitted, "And yours?" he added, hopefully.

"O-of course!" Lucy blushed as well, taking the larger box and handing it to him, watching as his face lighted up with a huge grin and he followed Happy's example enveloping her in a crushing hug.

"Thanks, Luce! You're the best!" he cheered before promptly letting go of her, not even noticing how flustered she'd gotten, and striking a victorious pose, facing Gray who was trying one of the cupcakes, "AH! Take _that_! My box is larger!"

"Hey, these are pretty good! Did you make them?" Gray asked, ignoring Natsu who frowned at it but quickly smiled and decided to open his box to see what he'd gotten.

"Yeah," she smiled sheepishly, "Do you really like them? You're not just saying that to be nice, right?"

"Nop," he took another bite, "They'we weally good." He continued stuffing his mouth before looking curiously at Natsu's box and swallowing before he turned to her with a meaningful glance. "So how come Natsu's box is larger than all the others?"

"N-none of your business!" Lucy blushed before picking up several boxes and walking away.

Gray laughed at her retreating back, as she grumbled on her way to the other side of the guild hall, spotting some of the other male members she had gifts for.

* * *

It was only later that night, when she was already getting ready for bed that Natsu decided to make his untimely appearance.

"Hey, Lucy!" he called from the window.

"Natsu! Stop coming in from the window!" she complained from the bathroom, "It might surprise you, but my apartment actually has a door!"

"But I always come in from the window!" Natsu scoffed at her sarcasm.

"And that's why I am asking you to stop doing it!" she replied, opening the curtain and walking out of the bathroom, "What did you come here for?" she continued, curiously.

Natsu frowned at that, sitting on her bed.

"Gray won," he muttered.

"Oh," she stared at him, not quite sure what to answer.

A silent moment passed while Lucy got everything ready for the next day before heading to bed, not bothering to shoo Natsu away, since he scooted over to make space for her to lie down.

"So is that all that's bothering you?" she finally asked once she felt comfortable enough, peeking from under the covers, feeling awkward at the unusual silence between them.

"Hm… Lucy, what's a '_honmei choco_'?" he finally asked, staring at her curiously.

Lucy felt her cheeks redden and she fought the urge to hide under her covers.

"W-why do you ask?" she stammered, feeling her heart beat faster.

"Well, Gray was boasting about getting it, something about it being worth twice as much as the regular ones," he grumbled.

"Oh," she replied, oddly sombre. So he hadn't noticed that the cupcakes she'd made for him qualified as such? "Well, _honmei choco_ is more special after all," she mused, staring at the ceiling, not wanting to look at him from embarrassment, "It's the kind of chocolate that a woman would offer to the man she loves." She blushed at the admission.

Natsu remained silent, and she dared not peek to see his reaction.

"Ah, so that's why," he replied, "But I _still_ think he said that on purpose to win." he grumbled.

Lucy couldn't help but giggle at his grumpiness.

"It's not funny!" he looked at her, "If only I had gotten one too, we'd be tied."

She stopped laughing at that.

"So you really didn't notice?" she asked, gloomily.

"Uh?" he retorted, intelligently.

"So what did you think of it?" she asked, suddenly changing the subject.

"Yours?" he grinned at her, "It was awesome! Best chocolate ever!"

She smiled, happily. "I'm glad you liked. It's the first time I made those."

"Can I get some more next year?" he asked, beaming at her.

"Sure."

"Hey, how come mine were different from the others?" he asked, unexpectedly.

Lucy blushed and looked away.

"W-well, I didn't think the others would like pink peppercorn chocolate," she hesitated, "Plus, I made those on purpose for you."

"Oh. Why?" he questioned, curiously.

"No reason, it just reminded me of you, I guess," she admitted, "You know… _pink_ pepper?" she stressed purposefuly, "It's not as hot as the regular ones, but its fun, different, and perky. Just like you." she couldn't help but tease him.

Natsu blushed and scratched the back of his head awkwardly, not used to getting compliments.

Lucy took a deep breath and decided to come clean. If anything, he'd be able to tie with Gray in their silly competition.

"You've got a _honmei choco_, silly." She said abruptly, breaking the silence, tugging her covers to cover her blush when he turned confused eyes her way, before uttering in a bout of courage. "Mine."

Natsu just stared at her in astonishment for a while.

"What!" she finally exclaimed, feeling mortified at his silence, "Say something!"

"So he wasn't joking?" he muttered, a slight blush on his cheeks as well.

Lucy arched her brows, silently urging him to explain.

He replied, awkwardly, "He said it was pretty obvious the chocolate you gave me was different from all others, but I..." he drifted off.

"You thought he was teasing you?" she supplied.

"Y-yeah," he admitted, looking at her again when he heard her sigh resignedly and felt the covers shift under him.

"Hmm," she hummed noncommittally from under the covers.

"Oi," he called, "no hiding under there while we're talking. That's rude," he attempted to joke, and even though she didn't answer he was sure she was glaring at him from under the covers.

Getting up with a swift jump he turned off the lights before walking back towards the windows, pausing, wondering if he should dare... Throwing caution to the wind he quickly jumped on the bed and dove under the covers, next to her, before she could complain.

"Natsu! What-" she began, flustered before he cut her off.

"I'll definitely compensate you next month!" he said, before wrapping his arms around her and cuddling closer to the flabbergasted girl.

"…Does this mean you like me to?" she dared ask a few moments later.

The only answer she got from him was the tightening of the embrace and increased warmth, but that was enough to understand him.

Smiling happily, she wrapped her own arms around him, and cuddling closer to each other the pair drifted off to sleep.

* * *

*****_He stared at her retreating back in surprise as he opened his gift. Chocolate with Pepper? Geez, only Lucy could come up with something that weird._*

* * *

'º0O0º'

LNights: OOC? Probably.


	4. Scarf

.o0O0o.

(K)

**04: Scarf**

**

* * *

**

*****_Lucy couldn't help but wonder if Mirajane had been serious when she'd mentioned how good she looked with Natsu's scarf on.*

* * *

_

"Do you think it looks good on me?" came the unexpected question.

"Uh?" Nastu replied intelligently, turning his head from his fire chicken to watch her posing for him, next to their usual table at the guild.

"I _said_… do you think it looks good on me?" she emphasised, blushing at having to repeat her question, as she stroked the scarf wrapped around her neck and looked around anxiously, suddenly aware that the guild might not have been the best place to ask him.

Natsu let his eyes roam her form, confused as he noticed her nervousness.

"Well?" she demanded, self-consciously.

"Yeah, sure." He answered, shrugging at her weirdness. "Why?"

"Well, it's just…" she looked down as she played with the hem of his scarf, lowering her voice, "Mira said it looked good…" she replied hesitantly, "but you never lend it to anyone, or let it out of your sight for long, so I was worried you'd be mad…"

Natsu kept staring at her, confused.

"What?" she frowned at his unusual silence.

"You really _are_ weird," he blurted out before turning to his food again, "If you wanted to wear it you could have just asked."

* * *

*****_It wasn't that he didn't like to share, but there was really only one person he'd trust with his precious scarf._*

* * *

'º0O0º'

LNights: While I'm sure Natsu is still rather protective over his beloved scarf, I can't recall anyone else but Lucy ever wearing it besides him, obviously, so that has to mean something. x)

(In case you're wondering, Lucy wearing Natsu's scarf is in chapter 10, page 18, and that's only a few days after they met. And plus, even though he's sick from eating Etherion in chapter 105, he doesn't really mind when Lucy pulls him by it and ends up walking away without it, even though he ends up going to Lucy's home to get it back. xD)


	5. Stars

.o0O0o.

(K+)

**0****5: Stars

* * *

**

*_For her, stars were the most beautiful sight the sky had to offer, and she took pride in her knowledge of the constellations that represented her spirits.*_

_

* * *

_

"There you are!" she exclaimed triumphantly, spotting his pink hair on the top level of their guild.

"Lucy?" he peeked from up there, finding her on one of the first floor balconies, "What are you doing here?" he asked curiously.

She didn't answer and instead smiled up at him.

"Help me up?"

"Uh, sure," he hesitated before leaning down and extending his hand.

"What are you doing?" she asked, arching an eyebrow at his, a feeling of impending eccentricity taking hold of her.

"Helping you up," he answered seriously, as if it was obvious, "Jump!"

"There's no way I can jump that high, you idiot!" she blew up at him, realising he meant for her to jump the height of two floors.

"Fine," he groaned and pouted as he stood up and jumped down right next to her, proceeding to turn his back to her and crouching slightly.

"Now what?" she sighed, having silently observed him as he went through all those motions.

"Get on." He replied.

"What?" she stumbled back in embarrassment.

"You heard me." He frowned back at her.

"I can't get on your back!" she complained.

"Why not?" he wondered, honestly confused as he turned around to face her.

"It's embarrassing!" she hissed at him, blushing.

He stared blankly down at her.

"What?" she demanded self-consciously, crossing her arms in a defensive pose as he kept staring.

"You're weird," he scoffed amusedly before turning his back to her again, "Just get on. No one is watching."

Lucy shuffled awkwardly closer to him, wondering if her rising temperature was related to simply steaming from her embarrassment or his own body heat.

"Well?" he looked back at her over his shoulder, "Are you getting on or not?"

"Ugh! Fine!" she yelled in frustration, throwing her arms around his neck and wrapping her legs around his waist, squeaking in embarrassment when he held onto her and adjusted her position before crouching down and smiling amusedly.

"Hold on tight!" he warned before he jumped onto the next floor, laughing at her small yelp of surprise and fierce hold, "One more time!" he announced, and once again she held tight and squeaked as he leaped onto the top floor.

"Ah! We made it!" he declared proudly, letting her go and looking over his shoulder in surprise as she had yet to relinquish her hold on him. "Lucy, you can let go now."

"S-shut up!" she opened her eyes, and stumbled back as she let go of him.

"Whoa, careful Luce, it's a pretty high fall from here," he caught her arms to steady her and pulled her away from the edge.

"I know that," she grumbled, "it wasn't on purpose," she sat down quickly, trying to ignore the warmth she still felt from his touch.

He just shrugged at her weirdness and lied down next to her.

"What were you doing up here?" she asked, to change the subject.

"Not much," he stared up at the sky, "Just thinking."

"Hmm…" she hummed playfully, "Even you have your thoughtful moments."

"Hey, that hurt my feelings," he frowned at her, momentarily upset by her joke, "How about you? Why were you looking for me?"

"Eh?" she looked startled for a moment, "I- uh, no reason." She leaned back next to him, "I was just wondering where you were."

"'That so?" he answered absentmindedly, "So why did you want to come up here?"

"It's the best viewpoint," she grinned, looking up at the stars lovingly.

"Yeah, I suppose," he shrugged, not really noticing any difference.

"You suppose?" she arched an eyebrow at him.

"Yeah," he replied, not understanding why she was getting upset, "I mean, it's nice and all, but-"

"Nice?" she frowned, as if he'd just insulted her, "It's not just 'nice'. It's _stunning_."

He raised an eyebrow at her reproach.

"They're just stars."

"What?" she sat up, incredulous, "They are _not_ 'just stars'!" she defended them, heatedly, "Don't you ever watch them?"

"Not really," he admitted, "What's so great about them?"

She sighed in aggravation.

"I'd appreciate it if you'd show some more appreciation for them;" she said, annoyed, "Stars are great!"

"Oh? Let's hear it, then," he challenged, interested. He'd never seen her so offended about something.

"Stars have been around since the beginning!" she began lecturing, "They map out the sky, guiding you, wherever you are," she looked up to the sky, "they granted our planet life from their debris, giving us the chance to exist," she continued, "they provide us with light, warmth and energy to keep us and our planet alive," she smiled, "They watch over us and protect us…" she continued, holding her keys to her heart.

Flinching as he realized why she was so mad, he felt like hitting himself. Of course she would be mad at him, saying he didn't care about the stars was the same as scorning her magic.

"… and," she blinked to keep her tears in check, "My mom used to say that when someone dies they become part of the stars again, watching over their loved ones." She smiled sadly down at him, "I believe she's still looking after us."

"Sorry," he whispered, breaking the silence that had settled between them, "I didn't mean-"

"I know," she cut him off, drying her tears and lying back down, "You don't know all that much about me and my magic yet. I'm sorry for being mad. Should I make it up for you?" she grinned.

"How?" he questioned, dubious.

"I can teach you how to read the stars so you won't get lost?" she offered, sheepishly, "I can show you the constellations, too. Did you know there's a dragon-?"

"Where!" he shouted suddenly more than eager to learn more about it.

Lucy only laughed and proceeded to point it out to him.

She had much to teach, she pondered as she revelled in the starlight twinkling down at them, and the night was still young.

* * *

*_He didn't really care much about stars before he met her, but as he looked at the delighted expression of the girl lying next to him, pointing out the constellations, he couldn't help but thinking that maybe they weren't so bad._*

* * *

'º0O0º'


	6. Dragons

.o0O0o.

(K)

**0****6: Dragons

* * *

**

*_Sometimes, it was still hard to believe that Natsu had been raised by a dragon.*

* * *

_

Lucy kept staring at her teammate as he unceremoniously crammed his mouth with whatever food was nearer, shaking her head in exasperation.

His manners really hadn't changed much since she first met him a year ago. If anything, _hers_ had gotten worse, but she brushed that thought aside since she no longer had to behave like the damsel she had been raised to be.

Letting her eyes wonder a bit she finally focused on his scarf.

She wondered where Igneel was now… She wished she could help Natsu find his father. Not only for the happiness it was sure to bring him, but out of curiosity as well.

She didn't have much of a hard time imagining what Igneel must look like, since Natsu had already described him to her once, but as she cast another glance at the dragonslayer's manners she couldn't help but wonder if the dragon was as flamboyant as him.

From what she'd read in books as a child, she'd always thought dragons were wise and mostly solitary creatures. Let alone the fact that most people thought them to be nothing but myths; she always believed they existed. Even so, she'd had a hard time believing it when Natsu had said he'd been looking for one.

A dragon raising a boy? Especially one as lively as Natsu. It completely changed her mind about what dragons might be like. After all, children take after their parents, right?

And so she had told herself that she'd help him find Igneel one day, because she wanted to meet him, too.

"What?" his voice broke her out of her reverie. "You've been staring at me for ages."

She looked up from his scarf to his eyes, startled.

"It's nothing," she smiled at him, and reached for his scarf as he stared at her, unconvinced. "I was just wondering if I can meet him someday." She added as she played with one of the ends, marvelling at the soft touch of scales.

Natsu's eyes widened at her revelation before he started laughing, which prompted her to stop and frown at him.

"What?" she replied, annoyed, "I really mean it."

"Of course you'll meet him, Luce," he said with a giant grin, "Someday, for sure." He added as he took her right hand in his own and smiled confidently. "We're all family after all."

* * *

*_He fiddled with his scarf wordlessly, lost in memories of his long lost father._*

* * *

'º0O0º'

LNights: I'll let you decide if Natsu really meant they are a couple or if he's referring to Fairy Tail as the family. x)


	7. Names

.o0O0o.

(K+)

**07: Names

* * *

**

*_Lucy smiled at him, thinking how names really did reveal a lot about their owners._*

* * *

"Names really do reveal a lot about people, hm?" Lucy commented, reading through a new book as they sat by the bar.

"Hm?" he glanced inquisitively at her, as he drank from his beer mug.

"Names, Natsu," she offered, putting down her book and giggling as he put his mug down and she noticed he had a foam moustache, pointing it out to him before reiterating, "I said they reveal a lot about people."

"Oh," he replied, crossing his eyes to try to find what she was pointing at, clueless, only succeeding in making her laugh, "Really?"

"Hmmhm," she hummed, reaching at him with a napkin, making him scowl at her.

"I'm not a baby," he grumbled, embarrassed, taking the napkin from her and rapidly cleaning his mouth.

"Had me fooled," she replied, amused, picking up her book again.

"So what do you mean they reveal a lot about people?" he frowned, glancing at her book.

"Well, take yours for example," she mused, looking up at him from her book, "Natsu means '_Summer'_," she stated, "it's a direct reference to your warm and wild personality. The summer is also the hottest season, so in terms of elements it might as well be related to fire." She smiled, at his surprised expression as she described what she thought of his name, "And then there's Dragoneel, which I assume is a surname Master gave you when you came to Fairy Tail, made up from '_dragon'_ and '_Igneel'_, a direct reference to your father and powers…" She trailed off, "So you see, names do reveal a lot."

Natsu seemed to ponder on what she had said for a moment before he turned to her curiously.

"Does that mean you think I'm hot?" he asked nonchalantly.

"What! I didn't say that!" she blushed, embarrassed, and looked nervously around to make sure no one had listened to his preposterous question.

"C'mon Lucy, it's okay if you do," he grinned, at her apparent mortification.

"Shut up!" she buried her head in her book to hide her blush and try to pretend he wasn't there.

"How about yours?" he asked suddenly, curiously.

"My what?" she looked at him over the edge of the book, not wanting to face him.

"Your name," he rolled his eyes, at her forgetfulness, "What does it mean?"

Lucy raised an eyebrow at his sudden interest.

"Why would you want to know?"

"Why wouldn't I?" he shot back, confused, "You know what mine means, it's only fair I know what yours means too."

Lucy sighed as he kept staring at her expectantly.

"Light." She answered simply, "Lucy derives from Lucia, a Latin name for '_light'_."

"Light, hm?" he mused, intrigued, "And… Heartfilia?"

She frowned slightly at the mention of her family name but answered nonetheless.

"Heartfilia is derived from '_Heart'_ and '_Filis'_ a latin word for son or daughter," she explained, "_'Heart'_ is commonly related to '_Love'_, so it should mean something like '_Beloved_ _Daughter'_?" she continued sadly, her thoughts clearly turning unpleasant.

"Lucy…" Natsu whispered, feeling guilty about bringing it up. If he knew asking about her family name would upset her that much he wouldn't have asked.

"It's okay, I'm fine," she managed a smile for him before trying to hide herself with her book again.

"You're _not_ fine," he countered, frowning, "I shouldn't have asked."

"I'm fine, really," she tried to reassure him, "I just don't think my name relates to me at all." She explained, "At least not anymore." She added wistfully.

"Uh?" he replied, confused.

"'_Beloved Daughter_' and '_Light_'…" She smiled sadly, looking away, "My mom used to say I was the light of her life, so…" her eyes watered, thinking of her late mother, but she blinked back the tears so she wouldn't make Natsu feel any more guilty than he already obviously felt. "Not since my mother died, I'm not."

Natsu squirmed in his stool uneasily as silence enveloped them after her explanation, thinking of a way to make it up for her.

"You know…" he began, awkwardly, "I might not be able to relate exactly, but I think it doesn't matter if your mom is dead or not."

"Natsu…" Lucy glared up at him from her lap, making him realize what he'd said.

"Wait, wait! That's not what I meant!" he quickly waved his arms defensively, "I meant you'll always be her light and her beloved daughter, no matter what." He quickly explained, surprising her. "She's dead. Okay, so what? That doesn't change the fact that she _did_ love you while she was alive. Or that she always will, even though she's dead."

Lucy stared at Natsu silently, in amazement.

"What?" he began to feel really nervous at her silence and scrutiny.

"Who are you and what have you done to the real Natsu?" she asked suddenly.

"What is that supposed to mean?" he replied, offended.

"I think that's the most thoughtful thing I ever heard you say," she admitted, still flabbergasted.

"Oi, that hurts my feelings," he frowned, picking up his forgotten mug.

"Sorry…" she smiled uneasily, "and thanks." She blushed, standing up and quickly leaning forward to hug him before he had a chance to run.

Natsu looked startled up at her, blushing, wondering why she'd done that.

"You know Natsu…" she looked down, blushing even more at his intense stare, "Thanks to you I think I've found meaning in my name again." She smiled brightly at him, before picking up her book and leaving him sitting alone by the bar, staring at her retreating back.

"Your name always had meaning," he whispered as he followed her movements across the guild with a small grin.

'_Every Summer needs Light,_' he added to himself.

* * *

*_He had never thought of it before, but he had to agree with Lucy, when he found the meaning of her name._*

* * *

'º0O0º'

LNights: Too OOC? Ahah.

Anyways, since I'm ahead for now, I decided to add the next chapter's title and one of the POV (either Lucy's or Natsu's) at the end of the chapters, so you'll have a little preview.

So here:

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#8

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**Memento**

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*_He stared at her in confusion, wondering what was it about that gemstone dangling of a simple golden chain that had her blushing so fiercely.*_

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That's it, see ya next chapter!


	8. Memento

.o0O0o.

(K+)

**0****8: Memento

* * *

**

*_Wasn't it ironic that one of her favourite mementos from her mother was something that now made her think of him?*

* * *

_

Lucy sat by her desk, staring mesmerized at the pendant in her hands, as she had many times before, heedless of the chaos of paper and letters her desk had turned into.

The morning sun was gentle, as its golden beams illuminated her room, casting away the shadows that had tormented her that night as she recalled the date… her mother's birthday.

Unable to sleep any longer she'd left the warmth of her bed and walked across her room to her desk, where she picked up her quill and a stack of papers and began to write another letter.

She had taken her time, congratulating her mom, letting her mother know she was fine, and that she missed her everyday. She'd also told her about her latest adventures with her team, and how she thought her goal of becoming a writer was becoming ever closer. She even hesitated a bit before confessing her fears concerning her feelings for a certain hot head…

At that she paused, putting her quill down and opening the first drawer in her desk, taking out a small velvet box, which she gently opened. Inside was a simple stone pendant dangling from an elegant golden chain which she picked up carefully, putting the box on top of her letters.

It was the only thing she had left from her mother… her sole memento.

'_Like Natsu's scarf…_' she thought idly before shaking her head to dispel it.

She smiled sadly and watched as the orange stone glimmered with the light of the rising sun, gaining red and yellow hues as well as shimmering phantom veils of purples and blues, as she gently twirled it in her hands, like a drop of liquid fire.

Again, a mental image of her teammate assaulted her, making her smile softly at her infatuation.

The stone kept changing in her hands, as she never stopped twirling it while she thought of him.

At first it had annoyed her - the fact that the only memento she had from her beloved mother reminded her so much of her silly teammate. That the one thing she had left from her old life was so intrinsically connected to her new one.

'_I do wonder if it's not its influence that had me fall in love with that flame head…_' she stared at the stone accusingly, "_…this is a Dragon's Breath stone, after all…_'

It had also aggravated her that the stone had been a gift from her father to her mom as a celebration of her birth.

'_It was the rarest stone in the world… the perfect symbol for their love._'

It amazed her that her father had allowed her to keep it once her mother died, considering the value of it. It was worth more than their mansion!

Still, the reason it aggravated her was because the stone had been the symbol of her parents love, and now it made her think of _him_! Everything about it reminded her of him! Its importance, its significance, its appearance, its name! Everything!

'_Will it end up being a symbol of our love, too?_' she wondered absent-mindedly before she blinked and groaned at the foolishness of her thoughts. '_No! No way. He doesn't feel the same… it won't do me any good to dwell too much in such impossible fantasies…_' she glared at the stone as if it'd been its fault.

"Damn Dragon's Breath…" she whispered, twirling it again.

"Oi!" came a familiar offended voice from behind her, startling her, "I'll have you know I brush my teeth in the morning," he continued defensively, as she hurriedly shut the pendant in the box again and stood up to face him, hopping he hadn't seen it, "Don't I, Happy?"

"Aye!" Happy eagerly agreed, "Oh. Not when we sleep over, though."

"That's because I don't have a brush here!" he defended, annoyed that Happy would bring that detail up.

"You could eat fish," Happy replied, "I do."

"Does that work?" he asked suspiciously, apparently forgetting he was at her place and had scared the hell out of her.

"Natsu!" she quickly interrupted their chat, making both look at her, surprised by her demanding voice, "What are you doing here?"

Natsu frowned and gave her a once over.

"You're not being very nice today," he commented nonchalantly, "First you insult me, then you interrupt us, and now you won't even say good morning."

"_I_ am not being nice?" she asked, incredulous, "_You_ broke in once again, in the wee hours of the morning when I would otherwise be sleeping, scared the hell out of me, assumed I was insulting you and proceeded to ignore me like I wasn't even here!"

"See what I mean?" he turned to Happy and gestured at her, "She's being mean today."

"Aye!" Happy nodded gravely, "Could it be PMS?" he wondered.

"Uh?" Natsu glanced at her, making her blush, and frowned in confusion, "What's-?"

"I'm still here!" she squeaked in embarrassment, "And no, I am not PMSing!"

"Hmm," Happy hovered in front of her face, as if evaluating her.

"Happy!" she cried in frustration, "Would you stop that?"

"Yep, definitely PMSing," Natsu nodded sagely, with his arms crossed over his chest, even though he had no idea what it was.

"Aye," Happy agreed, "Told you so."

"Argh!" she groaned at the antics of her teammates, leaning against her desk, "Seriously, guys. What are you doing here so early?"

"We're picking a mission today!" Happy replied eagerly.

"A mission?" she eyed them curiously, "But we just came back from our last one two days ago."

"So? You're always low on funds," Natsu grinned as she sulked at him.

"Thanks for reminding me," she sighed and turned to her desk, gasping as she realized the box and her latest letter were still on top of it.

"What?" Natsu peaked over her shoulder curiously, wondering what'd made her gasp, "What is it?"

"Aye! What is it?" Happy hovered next to her, looking at the box and letter inquisitively.

"Nothing! Nothing at all!" she quickly reassembled the pages of her letter and the box, shoving them onto the drawer. Or so she hoped.

The box had opened and let the pendant fall to the floor as she dropped it onto the drawer.

"What's that?" Happy pointed at the fallen necklace.

"Yeah, what's this?" Natsu quickly picked it up before Lucy could.

"Ah! Give it back!" she reached for it.

"No," Natsu held it higher, observing it curiously, "What is it?"

"None of your business," she replied defensively, still reaching for it.

"A gift from a lover?" Happy guessed from her anxiety, as he hovering close to it, observing it as well.

"Happy!" she wailed in embarrassment, blushing as she felt Natsu's intensely curious gaze upon her, waiting for her answer, "It's not!"

"Oh?" Happy smirked knowingly at her embarrassment.

"Then why do you look so flustered?" Natsu added, sceptically. Almost accusingly.

"Shut up!" she cried, blushing even more as she met his intense gaze, not wanting to admit it made her think of him, "Just give it back, Natsu! Please!"

Noticing his surprised expression she took the chance to jump for it, smiling as she caught it and he released it, mindful of the frail chain. Sighing in relief, she brought it close to her chest.

"Is it really that important to you?" he asked, awkwardly.

Lucy looked up at him, blushing as she realized she must have been acting weird.

"As much as your scarf is to you," she finally answered, looking at the pendant one last time before putting it back in the box and closing the drawer, not noticing how guilty he looked.

"Sorry, Lucy," Happy hugged her, "We didn't know."

"It's alright," she smiled and patted his head gently, "Just don't ever do that again."

"Did it belong to your mom?" Natsu asked, uneasily.

"Yeah," she nodded, "My father gave it to her when I was born; I've been keeping it since she died." She explained, "It's the only thing I have left of her - that Dragon's Breath pendant."

"Ah!" Happy recognized the name, "So that's what you meant!"

"Yeah, that's what I meant," she looked at Natsu accusingly.

"Okay, I'm sorry!" he retorted, awkwardly, crossing his arms defensively.

Lucy appraised him for a few seconds before smiling at him.

"Okay, you're forgiven."

"But Lucy…" Happy piped up from her desk, and she turned to face him, "If it belonged to your mom, then why did you blush when I asked if it'd been a gift from a lover?"

Both Natsu and Happy looked at her expectantly.

"Eh?" she blushed again noticing how intent they looked, "It… it reminds me of someone else as well." She finally admitted, trying to avoid Natsu's stare.

"Lucy is in love! Lucy is in love!" Happy sang as he flew around her room.

"Happy!" she wailed, chasing after him, "I am not!"

"Well, are we getting a mission or not?" Natsu piped up enthusiastically, deciding he could figure this out at a later time, as he headed to her door, "Let's go!"

"Right!" she smiled, catching her ring of keys before following him and Happy out the door, catching Natsu's still curious gaze.

Maybe someday she could tell him, if she was bold enough.

That _he_ was the person who made her heart beat faster. _He_ was the one whom the pendant reminded her of.

It'd always been him.

* * *

*_He stared at her in confusion, wondering what was it about that gemstone dangling of a simple golden chain that had her blushing so fiercely._*

* * *

'º0O0º'

LNights: Dragon's Breath does exist; it's a man-made stone. Look it up. :D

Preview:

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#9

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**Writing**

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*_Writing was a passion – an all consuming passion that filled her mind with extraordinary stories, and left her wrist and hand aching after a long day_.*

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See ya next chapter!


	9. Writing

.o0O0o.

(T)

**0****9: Writing

* * *

**

*_Writing was a passion - an all consuming passion that filled her mind with extraordinary stories, and left her wrist and hand aching after a long day_._*

* * *

_

There are few things that I am passionate about in life. One of those few things is writing. The quill, my instrument of choice, barely ever leaves my hand as soon as I sit by my desk.

If you're a writer, you know what I'm talking about. That seductive sensuality of your words coming to you of their own accord, caressing your mind like silk sliding by as your hand moves across the page, carefully etching them onto it.

Over the years, writing stories has become as essential to me as breathing air.

It began as a means to get rid of the daily frustration I had to deal with, back home. I remember getting my first diary from mom when I was six. That's when it began – my passion; writing on it would ease my mind. Not late after I discovered that, I'd write little stories and show them to her. Mom was the only one who ever read my stories back then, the only one I trusted them with.

When mom died… _especially_ after mom died, it helped me. It saved me. Writing kept me sane. And I still write to her every now and then. Letters.

I like to think she somehow gets them, even though they never go further than the cabinet above my head. Still, she was the one who introduced me to writing, the one who encouraged me with my dream of becoming a novelist, and the only one who understood that passion of mine.

Passion.

Writing is a passion - an all consuming passion that fills my mind with extraordinary stories, and leaves my wrist and hand aching after a long day. Without writing, I may not die, but a major part of me would not exist.

Ever since I joined Fairy Tail, I feel like I'm growing. Not only as a writer – as a person as well. All those adventures I've been through, all those hardships and delights I captured in my journal have helped me grow up considerably. I am hardly the hopeless little girl I was before I met Natsu.

'_Speaking of which…_' I thought to myself, pausing on my writing as I craned my neck to look around.

The apartment looked eerily empty and silent.

'_When did I get so used to have him around? It's almost like he lives here, too.'_ I thought, shaking my head at my silliness and resuming my writing. '_Really. Thinking the apartment looks empty just because he's not here? What the heck is wrong with me?_'

A few more pages had been written before my mind began to wander again.

'_I wonder what Natsu and the others are doing right now…_'

I paused, frowning.

'_Meaning, I wonder what Natsu is up to. If it's anything like usual he'll be here to bother me pretty soon,'_ I mused, sighing and laying my head upon my half written script, a sudden drowsiness creeping in.

"Ahhh… I feel lonely," I admitted, placing my quill down and curling my arms above my head in disgrace, "and I was finally able to get time to write, too…" I mumbled, crossing my arms beneath my head to get more comfortable.

My arm felt a bit heavy, and my hand and wrist were aching slightly from the effort. Rubbing my eyes tiredly I rested my head upon my arms again and marveled at the warm sensation of the sun rays on my skin.

'_Maybe I should rest for a while_,' I thought, casting a look to the large pile of pages I'd written during the day that far. I smiled in accomplishment; I'd written more than I'd planned. Levy would be pleased to know I'd finished yet another chapter.

I sighed. The warmth slowly enveloping me made me realize just how tired I really was.

Closing my eyes, I made myself as comfortable as I could.

'_Yeah… five minutes won't hurt, right?_'

That was the last thought before I allowed myself to fall asleep, unaware of the dark eyes watching me from across the street.

* * *

*_Ever since he found her secret he'd sometime silently watch as she let herself be consumed by it._*

* * *

'º0O0º'

LNights: Not exactly what I planned at first, but I'm turning this one into another story, maybe a two-shot.

Preview:

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#10

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**Flowers**

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*_When he saw the delighted expression on her face he was suddenly glad to have followed Mirajane's advice_.*

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.

.

See ya next chapter!


	10. Flowers

.o0O0o.

(K+)

**1****0: Flowers

* * *

**

*_Like any other girl, she liked flowers, and she was very much surprised when he presented her with a bouquet of them for her birthday.*

* * *

_

"Here."

Suddenly, a large bouquet of flowers was being shoved in her face.

"Eh!" she leaned back from it and looked up at her assailant, surprised, "Natsu?"

He looked up from the floor to meet her gaze, awkwardly, and she noticed he was blushing. From embarrassment? Humiliation? She looked down at the large bouquet of flowers and back at him. Had he lost some sort of bet with Gray?

"Natsu?" she inquired gently, noticing he was being too quiet, "What's the occasion?" she looked at the bouquet again, finally noticing it had all her favourite flowers. She appraised it in wonder. It must have cost him a small fortune!

"You didn't tell me," Natsu shifted from one foot to another, nervously, as she had yet to accept his gift.

Lucy looked up at him, confused.

"Tell you what?"

"Your birthday was yesterday," he stared at her accusingly, his voice clearly showing his upset at her omission.

Was it just her or was he pouting?

"I didn't tell anyone," she finally replied, blushing at being caught. She wanted to keep it a secret. So… "How did you find out?" she asked, warily, already with a suspect in mind.

"Mira told me," he shrugged.

'_Bingo._' She sighed, '_I'll definitely have to have a talk with her about keeping secrets after this…_' she looked up at him again and noticed his blush hadn't diminished at all. Was he really that embarrassed about getting her flowers? Her favourite, no less. Had Mira also told him about them? Well, no matter.

"So… I guess these are for me?" she asked and as he nodded she finally took the flowers from him, blushing in delight at his lovely gesture, and embarrassment for making him hold them for so long, embracing them gently and letting herself get lost in the exquisite aromas.

He just stood there for a moment, watching as his teammate enjoyed his gift, with a self-satisfied grin. He'd picked the flowers himself, after all; remembering the ones she had shown preference for.

"Natsu…" She quickly manoeuvred the bouquet to her left arm, and wrapped her right one around his neck so he wouldn't try to run, kissing his cheek, "Thank you." She whispered at him, letting him go, both blushing at her audacity.

And as she turned from him to get a vase for them, smiling brightly all the way, he thought he could stand the embarrassment, if it meant he could see her smile like that again.

* * *

*_When he saw the delighted expression on her face he was suddenly glad to have followed Mirajane's advice._*

* * *

'º0O0º'

LNights: I didn't name the flowers on purpose. I want each person to imagine their own favourites, or what they think Lucy's favourites would be. :D

Preview:

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#11

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**Dragonflies**

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*_While most would think she'd shriek and run away from them, he was surprised by watching her approach it, carefully studying it_.*

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See ya next chapter!


	11. Dragonflies

.o0O0o.

(K)

**11: Dragonflies

* * *

**

*_Dragonflies… yes, she liked them. She liked the intricate pattern of their wings, the vivid colours they displayed, and the fact that they lived their lives to the fullest_._*

* * *

_

"There! There! Do you see them?" she asked excitedly from behind the bushes they were hiding in, pointing to the greenery by the river.

"Aye!" Happy confirmed, looking in that same direction.

"Now what?" Natsu asked, target in sight.

"We approach them slowly," she replied looking at both her teammates, an amusement glint in her eyes, "Silently."

"Like ninjas!" Happy enthused, "Nin! Nin!"

"Okay, let's go!" Natsu started to stalk their preys as silently as he could.

Not to be left behind, Lucy stood up from her hideout and took off her shoes, quickly discarding them and walking as silently as she could to the edge of the river.

Happy had it easy. He simply flew over, from bush to bush, hiding behind them and taking stock on his prey as ninjas would, making Lucy smile at his enthusiasm.

When they got closer to the river, she took a pencil and a small notebook from a small pouch before sitting down on a small rock by the edge, silently watching the dragonflies, and occasionally sketching them on the notebook, as Happy floated nearby and Natsu tried to catch one of them with his bare hands.

"You know," Natsu piped up a while later, distracting her from her sketches, "I didn't think you'd like them." He commented, looking at her.

"Why not?" she asked, puzzled.

"I don't know, you just seem like the type of girl who would shriek and run away if it crossed your way," he observed, casually.

"Aye," Happy nodded, "She did that when we put that scorpion in her sleeping bag," he recalled.

"I don't think you can compare them," she mumbled in dread at the memory before turning to Natsu, "And I would probably react like that if it were a cockroach, a spider, or some slimy bug, but why would I ever react like that to a dragonfly?" she looked to the closest one with a smile.

"I don't know," he admitted, "Why don't you?"

"They're not weird, I guess," she mused, turning her attention back to them, "Mom and I used to watch them when I was young, too, by the pond in the backyard."

Natsu immediately looked guilty about bringing the subject up, since he knew speaking of her mother always made her sad, but Happy approached her, curiously, and sat by her side, waiting for her to continue.

She smiled at him before continuing.

"I'd spend hours chasing them, studying them, admiring them… You see, I couldn't really go out of the mansion when I was a kid; I spent most of my childhood there. Father wouldn't allow pets, either," she frowned sadly at some memory before turning her attention back to her silent teammates, "So I guess I like them because they kept me company every summer. Even after mom died, they were still there every year to bring me memories of brighter days."

"Lucy-" Happy started, only to be interrupted by a splash of water that hit both him and Lucy.

"What are those sour faces for?" Natsu grinned at his flabbergasted teammates, "We're here to have fun!" he splashed them again.

"Natsu!" Happy complained, flying a bit farther from Lucy to shake the water off of his fur.

"Natsu…" she growled, looking at her now thoroughly soaked notebook, before standing up with a fire in her eyes that promised severe retribution, "You better start running."

"Meh." He shrugged, "You can't catch me." He dared her, only to be hit by a splash from his left.

"Ha! Take that!" Lucy smirked, "Good job, Happy."

"Aye!" he smiled at her.

"Hey! Two against one is not fair," Natsu complained, "But if that's the only way you'll have a chance of winning, then bring it on!"

* * *

Later, they lay in the grass by the river, to get their breaths back from the thorough fight and trying to soak up some warmth from the setting sun while the dragonflies flew around them, when Natsu suddenly turned serious and looked at her.

"You know you don't need the dragonflies anymore, right?" he asked in earnest.

Lucy fixed him with a curious glance, too tired to speak.

"You have us, now." He stated, grinning at her.

Staring at him in surprise, she could only nod at his blunt remark, smiling as she noticed a dragonfly had landed on his shoulder.

* * *

*_While most would think she'd shriek and run away from them, he was surprised by watching her approach it, carefully studying it._*

* * *

'º0O0º'

LNights: I love~ dragonflies! x)

Preview:

#12

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**Pink**

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*_She loved the colour. She really did. But sometimes it was fun to irk Natsu about his unique hair_.*

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See ya next chapter!


	12. Pink

.o0O0o.

(K+)

**12: ****Pink

* * *

**

*_She loved the colour. She really did. But sometimes it was fun to irk Natsu about his unique hair_.*

* * *

Most would blame it on her heritage.

She was for all purposes, a princess, after all. Born as one, raised as one.

But that wasn't the reason she liked pink so much.

It weren't the dresses, the décor, her toys or her jewellery. It wasn't that she was girly, immature, or simply _blond_ as she was sure many thought.

Looking back, it was probably because of her mother…

The walks they had around their gardens, filled with hydrangeas, magnolias, peonies, lotus, orchids, and cherry blossoms.

The nights they would stay out late, watching their beloved stars until the sun rose turning the small clouds by the horizon a soft pink.

The way she would blush, exhausted from playing hide and seek with her.

The small strawberry cakes she would secretly bake for both of them, covered in pink frosting.

Her mother's favourite dress.

The simple details. The simple pleasures from their life before it all changed.

Pink was the colour that most reminded her of her mother, and that's why she liked it so much.

So as she looked at her teammate, who sat brooding in a stool beside her own at the guild bar, she couldn't help but smile at his unique hair colour.

* * *

"I don't get it," he started, "How can you like pink so much?" he frowned at her, "It's humiliating." He mumbled, glaring up at his unruly hair.

"No, it's not," she kept smiling as she pulled on a strand of his hair, "Mira doesn't think so either, right?" she smiled at the bar tender who'd been listening to them for a while.

"Lucy's right, Natsu, it's a lovely colour." She added with a smile, making him grimace.

"See? '_Lovely_' – that's a reason, right there!" He kept arguing.

Lucy laughed.

"Okay, I admit, it must be awful for you - being constantly teased about it," she reasoned, drinking a bit of her strawberry milkshake, "But you can't deny it would look adorable in a little girl. Heck, even _you_ looked pretty cute in that old painting." She grinned at his embarrassment.

"Shut up," Natsu simply glowered at both girls, who seemed to be having fun at his expense.

"You might come to like it, or at least tolerate it if you ever have kids," Mira pointed out as she cleaned some glasses.

He frowned in confusion.

"Well, either that or they turn out like him and they'll all hate it," Lucy remarked to Mira, giggling, "Still, it's a shot." She said, getting back to her milkshake and book.

"Why do you assume the kids would have pink hair?" he finally asked Lucy, puzzled.

"Well-" Lucy started.

"Oh?" Mira immediately jumped at the opportunity of teasing the teens, "What other colour might they have, then?" she grinned, her teasing tone catching Lucy's attention. "Let's say… _blond_?"

Natsu raised an eyebrow at that but was cut of before he could answer.

"Mira!" Lucy blushed profusely, berating herself for not keeping her crush on Natsu a secret from her.

Mira giggled.

"Oh my, Lucy, why so flustered? I never said anything about it being you," she smiled innocently at the mortified girl, while walking a few feet away, cheerfully humming a nuptial march.

Lucy watched in disbelieving silence as she went, her eye twitching at Mira's blatant, yet over the top, support of her one sided crush.

"Yep, that's truth," Natsu finally cut the silence, matter-of-factly.

"I don't want to hear that from you!" she freaked, blushing even more as he kept staring.

"What!" she finally asked.

"It just occurred to me… I don't think I need kids to make me like it after all," he mused, still staring at her.

"Why?" she asked apprehensively.

He pointed at her blushing face and smirked.

"You look pretty good in pink."

* * *

*_He used to hate the colour. Mostly because it'd be a reason for mockery, but she'd found a way to change his mind._*

* * *

'º0O0º'

LNights: Ahah, little Natsu's. That'd be cute (and disastrous for the guild if they turned out like their father!). xD

Preview:

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#13

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**Fire**

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*_He juggled some fire balls in his hands for distraction, thankful that his partner didn't mind. For him it made no sense why people feared fire so much_.*

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See ya next chapter!


	13. Fire

.o0O0o.

(K+)

**13: Fire

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**

*_She stared into the campfire, marvelling at the seductive flame, while hoping Natsu wasn't hungry enough to eat their only source of light for the night.*

* * *

_

'_We've been sitting by the bonfire for a few hours now_…' she mused as she wrote another entry in her journal.

«_Our team has once again successfully finished a mission and we're now heading back to Magnolia. _

_From how much Erza has pushed us today, I figure we won't be taking much longer than half a day to get there, if all goes according to plan__..._»

For once, she couldn't complain. She couldn't think of a better thing to ease up her bruises and overall soreness than a long warm bath in the privacy of her home.

'_Though the privacy part…_' She smiled and shook her head slightly at her own private joke. Who would have thought that she would actually get used to her team showing up and using her home as theirs when they pleased?

Lifting her eyes from the journal she glanced around, making sure everyone was fine.

Erza and Gray had each retired to their respective sleeping bags earlier and Happy had fallen asleep shortly after dinner, leaning on Natsu. Only Natsu and she remained awake. Lucy since she had wanted to write the new entry as soon as possible and Natsu because Erza had appointed him as the sentry until it was her time to take over.

Seeing as they were all sleeping peacefully, she turned her gaze on her usually rowdy teammate, surprised that he was still silent. She didn't think he would be this upset…

Sighing to herself she picked up a log from the pile in between them and threw it in the fire so it would keep burning steadily. At the moment she didn't think there was any risk of it being extinguished, or rather, _eaten_ by the gloomy dragonslayer next to her.

He was still frowning slightly, silently staring at the sparking fire, as he had been since they'd broken camp. She observed him for a few more moments before turning back to her notes, nothing but the fire, the snoring, and the forest sounds to distract her.

«_This particular mission was nothing out of the ordinary for us. It's actually one of the easiest we have done in a while – a simple bodyguard job. _

_We were hired to protect a landlord during a small travel, as he feared he would be attacked on his way to __Hyacinth where he would be meeting with some businessman._

_It had all been fine before we were ambushed by some members of a local dark guild. They were working for the clients' associate, though we only discovered that later._

_The fight broke out suddenly, giving us no time whatsoever to get the client to safety first. While Gray and Natsu immediately retaliated, Erza changed into her usual '__Heavens Wheel__ 'armour and told me to keep the client safe._

_I had to help the poor man out of the carriage, since we had been attacked with blazing arrows and it wouldn't take long for it to burst into flames. When I got him out I told Happy to keep an eye on him while I ran to front, releasing the horses. Quickly returning to them I saw him taking a step back and then dropping to his knees, cowering as he turned to look at the battle ahead, terrified._

_Jumping into action I called Horologium and with Happy's help I was able to coax the client into him to keep him safe, leaving Happy with him as I called Taurus to help me out with some enemies that had managed to get past Erza's swords._

_In the end, the carriage we had been travelling in had been cut, blown and burnt as result from the attack and the fights occurring. The horses had long since run away; I didn't think we would be able to find them later._

_Looking around I noticed that there were still some fires burning. The carriage, some nearby bushes… no doubt as result of Natsu's battle, - nothing that couldn't be quickly put out by Gray, once he and Natsu stopped their ridiculous competition. _

_Erza nodded at me proudly, as she surveyed the damage around us, pleased that I had both managed to help in battle and keep the client safe. _

_After thanking my Sprits for their help and they returned to their world I approached the client to appease him since he was still trembling in fear, his eyes unfocused and wide, and his hands tangled in his hair, only half aware of the usual fight between Natsu and Gray that was by then escalating before Erza stepped in.__»_

'_Unfortunately, not soon enough_,' she reflected, putting down her journal and pen, recalling the waythe man looked at Natsu, completely terrified of the flames surrounding him.

He had started to back away and shouting in fear, making the remaining team look at him, confused. Regrettably, Natsu only seemed to frighten the client even more when he took a step forward and looked quizzically at the man staring at him in terror.

The landlord hadn't shown any fear of him up until then. If anything he had thought Natsu was an amusing youngster with how excited he seemed to be by the prospect of fighting. It was only then that she had figured out what the problem was: their client was pyrophobic.

She looked up towards her teammate again to find him unchanged; that same troubled look in his eyes.

It was obvious it was bothering him; the man had been very cordial at first, amused by his antics, but after the battle he wouldn't dare approach him, staring at him in fear, ever aware of Natsu's every movement, as if afraid he would suddenly attack him.

Erza had quickly taken care of the situation, requiping her magical carriage and getting the man inside before turning to them and telling Natsu to stay with her and Happy while herself and Gray drove the client to Hyacinth.

At first Natsu refused to follow her orders, but the glare Erza sent his way had settled it. He was still grumbling that it was unfair as Erza got onto her driver seat, only to be cut off by Gray, currently freezing the fires.

"Oh yeah? And what would you be doing there besides making the guy even more nervous? He's completely terrified-!"

"Gray!" Lucy interceded, appalled.

Both her male teammates had promptly shut up and Natsu looked towards the cowering man inside the carriage, who was still staring at him in fright.

For once she had to fight the urge to hit Gray for his stupidity. Shooting him a glare seemed to work fine though, as he took a step back muttering about being teamed with 'scary women' and even looked slightly apologetic as he noticed the effect his words had had on Natsu.

Since then he had been trying, but failing, to keep the usual enthusiasm. She'd had to take the lead, suggesting that they might as well find a good place to make camp nearby while they waited for them to return.

Focusing back on the present, she dropped her gaze to Happy's sleeping form and smiled at him, softly petting his head as he dreamed on about fish. He had kept a close eye on Natsu during the whole day, clearly as concerned as her, and it seemed the exhaustion had finally proven too much after dinner.

A shift in Natsu's position caught her attention and she found him staring down at Happy as the slumbering cat leaned towards her hand, and then turning his gaze up to her.

Feeling awkward at his silent watch she stopped petting Happy and removed her hand from his fur, her gaze nervously dropping to her journal, as she began to idly inspect her earlier entry in search of mistakes, silently praying that she wasn't blushing at his scrutiny.

"Does it bother you?"

The question broke the awkward silence between them and she looked up from her journal, all thoughts of embarrassment gone from her mind and puzzled as to the meaning of Natsu's question, watching as he played with the fire for distraction.

"Does what bother me?" she replied, clearly confused as she put her notes down to give him her undivided attention.

"Fire," he answered, dully, almost as if she ought to know it.

Lucy stared at him for a bit more, bewildered.

"Why would it?" she finally retorted.

"I don't know," he shrugged, "People seem uncomfortable with it," His eyes became distant, and she was sure he was recalling the earlier incident.

"Well, I'm not sure," she replied honestly, after a few moments of pondering, "I mean… I understand that most people do, but I'm not sure how to explain it…"

Natsu looked up from the fire to her, surprised to see her struggling with words.

"You see, I don't think I can say I fear it," She frowned, wondering if she was capable of getting her meaning across, "I respect it. Fire is a very powerful force, but it all depends on how it's used and by whom." she shrugged. "It can provide as easily as it can destroy, just as any other element."

Natsu nodded, but still didn't look convinced.

"Look," she began, sighing in frustration, seeing that he hadn't understood what she meant, "… it's not that I'm not afraid, it's that I feel secure with you around." she confessed, "Natsu, you're my teammate. My best friend…" she added sheepishly, "I trust your abilities as I hope you trust mine; I trust you with my life."

She looked up, to make sure he was paying attention and found his gaze fixed on her, as if drinking her very words.

"More than fearing it, I accept it. I accept _you_." She smiled at him, blushing at her own admission and his astounded visage, "Fire is a part of who you are; I'm not scared of it."

Feeling that she had finally gotten her point across, she observed him.

At first he looked surprised. Then pensive. Maybe he was pondering on her answer? That would be odd, considering his usual behaviour, but then again his behaviour so far hadn't been all that normal to begin with.

"So you don't mind it?" he finally asked, gazing curiously at her, a hint of a true smile on his face for what seemed like the first time that day.

"No, I don't," she smiled back as he grinned at her, apparently satisfied for now, "_But_…" She added, making him stare at her expectantly, "I'll still be pissed at you if you burn anything at my place." She finished in a stern tone and crossed her arms to enhance her threat.

Natsu just laughed at her pretence and she smiled again, gazing upon the blazing fire, its warmth gently reaching out to her.

"Hey, check this out! Fire can be fun, too!" he enthused, conjuring a couple of flames and juggling them while grinning.

"Shh! Not so loud!" she admonished, amused by his sudden enthusiasm and reaching for Happy as he grinned ruefully back at her.

Glad that he seemed to be back to normal, she sat a bit closer and put Happy in her lap where he curled up languidly, before covering him with a small blanket and allowing Natsu to show her a few tricks before sleep took over them.

Later, when Erza woke up to keep watch, she found the fire pit to be no more than a few glowing embers, Gray sprawled out half naked a few feet from her, and a couple of smiling mages curled together by the roots of a nearby tree.

Natsu was laying sprawled against the tree, one of his arms draped over Lucy's shoulders while she sat curled up next to him with her head resting on his shoulder, whilst gently cradling a slumbering Happy in her lap, all of them wrapped in a large blanket, though she was sure it was more for Lucy's benefit.

'_It seems his depression has lifted for now_,' she smiled at the sleeping trio, shaking her head at their rather intimate pose and clearing her thoughts while she went about building up a fire again, planning on staying awake for the rest of the evening.

Unable resist, she cast the pair another amused look as she settled herself, watching as Lucy shifted closer to Natsu in search of warmth and he held her closer.

'_Maybe it's true what people say... __Love is like a friendship caught on fire._'

* * *

*_He juggled some fire balls in his hands for distraction, thankful that his partner didn't mind. For him it made no sense why people feared fire so much._*

* * *

'º0O0º'

LNights: It's not quite what I had first thought of, but when I got around to finally writing it I couldn't recall what had first occurred to me. I try to keep my notebook around; it's just that I sketch more than I write in it. x)  
If you're wondering about Erza being able to requip a vehicle, I just want to remind you that she did use one in the earliest chapters of the manga, though it was never explained where she got it from. I just made it into one of her possible supplies.

Preview:

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#14

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**Memories**

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*_For her the m__emory was a way of holding on to the things you love, the things you are, and the things you never want to lose_.*

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See ya next chapter!


	14. Memories

.o0O0o.

(K)

**14: Memories**

* * *

*_For her the m__emory was a way of holding on to the things you love, the things you are, and the things you never want to lose.__*_

* * *

"Hi, Lucy!" came his ever cheery voice from the window, being echoed by Happy, as they barged into her apartment.

However, silence met their ears, confusing them.

"She's not home?" Natsu frowned, stepping in and looking around the empty room, "I thought she'd be here by now, she left the guild a few hours ago."

"Aye," Happy replied sadly as he landed on the table, "Even though we came to play with her!"

"Hm," Natsu replied distractedly as he spotted a manuscript and a large book on top of her desk, surrounded by several other books stacked into various little piles, "Hey, what's this?" he crossed the room in a couple strides, his eyes glued onto the mysterious heap over her desk.

"Her book?" Happy guessed, flying over to her desk and looking curiously at it.

"Probably," Natsu agreed, shifting his attention to the book next to it, finally noticing the word 'album' etched upon it. "An album?" He inquired; a clear note of interest in his voice, "I wonder what's in it…" he mumbled, shifting so he was crouching next to her desk, resting his chin on it; his eyes never diverging from the object. A sudden thought crossed his mind and he turned to Happy, smiling wickedly.

"Hey, do you think it might have some embarrassing pictures in it?"

"Won't Lucy will be mad if she finds out?" Happy warned, even though he couldn't help but feel curious as well. Natsu gulped, imagining her reaction; Lucy could be quite scary sometimes.

Nonetheless…

"It's just a little peek…" Natsu grinned, tilting his head so he could peak more easily into it, noticing as Happy followed his example, as he carefully moved his hand to the cover to open it.

He could feel his heart beating faster than usual thanks to the adrenaline cursing in his veins - every heartbeat sounding like a beating drum in his ears, drowning the noise of his surroundings; distracting him, even as his hand made contact with the smooth leather.

Happy couldn't help the small gasp as Natsu began to slowly turn the cover and a few pages so they could peak – they held their breaths as he did it, eyes unblinking from sheer curiosity, anticipating all the blackmail material they could get. After all, this album must have plenty of embarrassing pictures, right? It was certainly as off-limits as a diary! Plus, Lucy could be back at any-

"What are you doing?" came her inquisitive voice from the entrance.

Both males hastily turned to look in her direction, making quite a racket as Natsu bumped into her chair and Happy flung himself back against one of her little stack of books causing them to topple over the edge of the desk and crumple onto the ground, making her gasp and blush in sudden awareness.

"You weren't trying to read my novel, were you?" she accused as she placed her bags of groceries on the ground and closed the door with a flick of her foot, refusing to take her eyes off her culprits as she noticed that both her team mates had promptly placed themselves in between her and her desk, hiding whatever evidence of their deed remained. "Please tell me you didn't make a mess of it! I had just finished organizing it for Levy-chan!"

"Aye?" Happy piped up.

"Your novel?" Natsu replied, confused. Certainly an album full of potentially embarrassing pictures should take precedence to her novel in terms of shame?

"Eh?" Realizing they probably wouldn't be very interested in it she tilted her head in confusion. Just _what_ had they been doing that it seemed so vital for her not to find out? Frowning, she stepped forward, intent on determining what they had been doing in her absence.

Natsu didn't move from his spot, valiantly facing a frowning Lucy even if his eyes revealed how anxious he was, while Happy bit his lip before flying into her arms.

"It was Natsu's idea!" He wailed, surprising both teenagers as he clung onto Lucy, who held him awkwardly as the cat pressed himself as close as he could.

"Happy!" Natsu admonished; his tone clearly showing he was upset.

"Natsu!" Lucy reproached, echoing his mood. "Move aside, please."

Grumbling, Natsu did so and crossed his arms as he sulked, refusing to look at his teammates. Lucy, in turn, was surprised to find everything as she had left it, except for the pile of crumpled books on the floor by her feet, and became even more confused, shifting her gaze to the fidgeting dragonslayer beside her.

"I don't get it," she frowned, shifting Happy and crouching momentarily so she could pick up the fallen books, "Nothing's out of place, so why were you so worried?"

"Uh?" both males uttered, turning their eyes to her, puzzled.

"But… your _album_…" Happy mumbled nervously from her arms, as if he had just said something he shouldn't.

"What about it?" she asked, looking curiously to the feline as he disentangled himself from her hug and flew over to hover on Natsu's shoulder, baffled by their anxious reactions. And they called _her_ weird…

"Well… doesn't it have embarrassing photos and such?" Natsu ventured, at a complete loss. A brief, anxious, glance between him and Happy confirmed that both believed it to be true.

Realising what they had been scared of – her wrath – she promptly began to laugh, confusing the boys even more as they took a step back in surprise at her conflicting outburst.

Had she gone _mad_? Was she going to hunt them down like Erza? Was she going to turn into a demon like Mira and _punish_ them? Both appraised her warily, ready to run if she got angry.

"W-what's so funny?" Natsu piped up bravely.

"I'm sorry, I just-" she burst out laughing again, "J-just the thought that I would make you that nervous-!" she leaned one of her hands on her desk to keep herself standing, even if her knees were weak in mirth.

Both males frowned at her, only to take another step back as she held the album in her hands and took a step towards them, offering the volume to them.

"Here," she smiled, still giggling at their awkwardness, "You can see it."

They shared another nervous glance before Natsu accepted the offer. What if it was a trap and she'd get mad when they reached for it? Bravely, Happy nodded his head in acceptance and Natsu gulped as he warily took the album from her, surprised by no sudden violent outbreak.

"Come on," she cheerfully pushed both her team mates to sit on her bed and proceeded to pick up her forgotten shopping groceries and placing them on the kitchen table before returning to the room and sitting next to them, waiting for Natsu to open the album.

As he opened it, they were met with a flourishing, elegant cursive.

'_In hope that this will help me hold on to my precious memories._'

Happy floated from Natsu's shoulder to seat in between them and looked up at Lucy.

"You wrote that?" he asked, curiously.

"Yeah," she smiled at him.

"What do you mean 'help you hold on' to them?" he asked carefully.

"Well, I guess I'm afraid I'll forget -"

"That's weird," Natsu interjected.

"It's not much different than your wall of memories at your place!" she snapped, "And I didn't mean I'd forget because they were unimportant or something!"

Natsu and Happy observed her, waiting for her to continue.

"I mean… I came up with it after the Nirvana mission," she confessed, "I- Erza told me about Gerard losing his memories…"

Natsu's expression grew sombre, but yet he nodded.

"Yeah, so?"

"So, I'm afraid it might happen to me! That for some reason I wouldn't be able to remember mama, or my spirits, or Fairy Tail, or _you_!" she admitted, "I'm afraid to wake up someday and be unable to remember or recognize memories and people I hold so dear to me!" her eyes conveyed her distress as she shifted uncomfortably.

"You know we wouldn't let that happen!" Natsu countered, upset.

"You can't promise that, Natsu," Lucy shook her head at his unwavering confidence. "I might get caught by surprise, or we might get separated during a battle," She added, "it wouldn't be the first time."

"But we always find each other!" Happy argued, joining the discussion.

"It's not that hard to follow Natsu's trail of destruction," she joked, meeting with Natsu's annoyed expression.

"Look," she sighed and brushed a lock of her hair away from her face, absently, "It's just a precaution, okay? I'm pretty sure the chances of it happening to me are pretty slim, but at the time I wanted to make sure I had some solid proof to hold on to, just in case."

"Well, like I said, it's not gonna happen," Natsu grumbled, slightly mollified by her admission.

"Aye! We'll keep you safe, Lucy!" Happy cheered from her lap.

"Thanks," she smiled, amused by their protectiveness. "So, are we going to see the album or what?" she urged, nudging Natsu.

"Aye!" Happy cried again, "Turn the page, Natsu!"

"Fine," he finally grinned, complying, "Let's see what you've got!"

* * *

*_He stared at the album in his hands, looking at their old pictures and laughing at the memories they stirred._*

* * *

'º0O0º'

LNights: I'm so sorry for not updating this for months, but I've been really busy. Also, I lost count at how many times I re-wrote this chapter… I was never quite happy with the result. I'm still not thrilled about it, but I think it's enough idling in one chapter. I'll have plenty of chances to make up for it.

Up next:

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#15

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**Keys**

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*_Somehow it bothered him – the fact that even though keys seemed to be crucial to summoning, Loki was still able to show without her call_.*

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See ya next chapter!


	15. Keys

.o0O0o.

(M)

**15: Keys**

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_*As a Celestial Spirit Mage there was nothing she held more dear than her precious spirit keys.*_

* * *

"My keys!" she cried helplessly as her enemy swoop down to rip them off her belt. "Give them back!"

Natsu looked towards her at her outcry and called out to her in a panic as he saw her restrained to the wall; he could do nothing before he could find a way to make it past the rune spells separating them and finished off his own enemy, who'd taken his opportunity to hit him with a blast of his magic while he was distracted.

"Such a pity," her enemy drawled, running his fingers gently across her cheek, mockingly, as she glared fiercely, "I'd have thought you'd give us more trouble, famous as the pair of you are for your strength…" he retracted his fingers as she nearly bit them and slapped her, "Cheeky, aren't you?"

"Give my keys back or I'll do worse than bite you, you slimy excuse for a mage!" she fought her restraints and cringed as they tightened more.

"Ah yes," he smiled, "I forgot to warn you that they'll grow tighter the more you squirm. Quite handy, no? You'd do well to stop resisting, lest you manage to suffocate yourself. It would be a shame for such a pretty girl to die like this."

"I don't care," she struggled, "Give. Me. My. Keys!"

The villainous laugh echoed in the room. He leaned in, crowding her.

"So brave. So helpless. Tell me dear, does this happen often?" he smirked. "Holder types are frequently at a disadvantage. We need only take your instruments away!" he dangled her keys disdainfully.

"Get _away_ from her!" Natsu shouted from his own battlefield across the great hall, attempting to break down the invisible wall dividing the room as he block another attack. This was not supposed to happen. He should be able to help her, dammit!

"And what will _you_ do, dragonslayer?" he asked, looking away from her, "You look to be in quite a bit of trouble, yourself. What's wrong? Can't get past a mere Dark Runes' spell?"

Lucy squirmed again. He was boasting, but his abilities weren't as grand as he thought, Freed was much more powerful as a Dark Runes mage. If only they had known the type of mage they would be facing! She'd have insisted on bringing Levi if they had any idea this was the magic they would encounter. Natsu had already used so much magic to get them this far, and she'd been shamefully caught unaware, he should focus on his own battle, she was distracting him! Not good. _Not_ _good!_ _Where was Loki when you needed him!?_

"_I swear, if he's in another date I'm going to kick him so hard!_" she grumbled, trying to find a way to cut the damn ropes loose. _Get here, Loki! We need your help!_

"Besides, I was only having a friendly chat with your… _partner_," he provoked, looking at her perversely and catching her chin in his grasp roughly, to turn her face towards him, "Pretty thing. Is she as good a fuck as she looks?" he asked casually.

Natsu's expression turned thunderous and he punched the wall ineffectively; a wall of fire burst from the floor around him, throwing his opponent against the far wall as his magic responded to his rage. Another half-hearted attack from his nearly unconscious opponent barely made him glance in his direction. _If only he could break through these stupid spells with his strength!_

Lucy managed to slip his hold and spat in his face, outraged. He took a deep breath and turned to strike her again, but found her smirking and his hand and neck restrained in a hard grip.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Loki threatened, clenching his hand harder around the perplexed enemy's throat. "You should never raise your hand to a woman, particularly not this one. You'll find bad things tend to happen to those who do."

Natsu felt both relief and annoyance at Loki's appearance. Disgruntled, he settled for glowering at the enemy in agreement with Loki, even if he would prefer to dispatch such punishment himself. At least it seemed Lucy had things under control for now… better make sure his own opponent would stay put.

"What took you so long?" she muttered, "You better not have been on a date!"

"Sorry, Lucy, I would have arrived sooner if I'd managed to track down Levi faster," he glanced at her charmingly, "She's on her way here to help take down these nasty spells."

"_You!_" the enemy managed to hiss, "How did you get through my runes?"

"Magic!" Loki smiled, "Speaking of which, I'll be taking these back," he took the pouch of keys from the nearly suffocated man, "They don't belong to you."

He could see the realization in the man's eyes as he looked between Lucy and Loki as he gently put the pouch back in her hands. "A _Spirit!? _But-"

"I don't always need a key," Lucy held up her chin proudly, "we have a connection! Spirits are not mere objects or shields - they're _friends!_ Not that you would understand the concept," she opened the pouch and selected a key, "Open gate of the Giant Crab, Cancer!"

Cancer appeared in his usual pose. "How may I help? Ebi!"

"Can you cut through these ropes, please? I can't get them off because of the runes!" Lucy requested.

"Certainly, ebi!" Cancer replied, making short work of them. "Anything else, ebi?" he asked, his scissors snipping menacingly near to their enemy's face.

"No, that is all, thank you," Lucy smiled and rubbed her sore muscles gratefully, finally remembering to look for Natsu, to find him sitting dejectedly against the invisible wall, looking down.

"Will you take care of it, Loki?" she shot a glare at the man dangling from the Lion's grip.

"Of course. I'll knock him out and restrain him, shall I?" Loki offered and she nodded, turning back to walk towards Natsu.

She approached him hesitantly.

"Are you okay, Natsu?" she asked as she kneeled down behind him.

He grumbled, "I should be asking you that."

"Just a few scratches and soreness from the restraints," she reported, awkwardly. "… You didn't answer my question."

"I'm fine." He replied, tersely, still hunched against the wall and refusing to look at her.

Lucy held up her hand and touched the barrier between them thoughtfully, wishing she could at least provide some comfort to her obviously distressed teammate.

"Levi will be here soon," was all she could offer.

He grunted in acknowledgment and resumed his silence.

* * *

It was hours after their return that he finally spoke up.

"Why can he do that?"

Lucy nearly jumped out of her skin, realizing she hadn't been alone. She sat at her desk, writing their latest adventure and she paused, turning to find him perched on her windowsill. "Most people knock."

Natsu snorted. "No, we don't."

"No…" She agreed and slumped in her seat. "Why can who do what?"

"Loki. Why can you summon him without a key?" he clarified.

She looked at him, confused. "Is this why you're upset?"

"I'm not upset!" he fumed, stepping into the room and sitting on her bed, indignantly.

"Could have fooled me," she countered, unconvinced. "Why are you upset about Loki?"

"I'm not upset about him, I just don't get it!" he retorted, "Why is he the only one who can get through without a key?"

Lucy looked even more confused. Was he jealous? "What makes you think-"

"Well, he's the only one who shows up without you calling!" he added.

"No, he's not!" she bristled, "Virgo does it nearly as often! And some of the others, too! And I did call him!" she took in his surprised expression and proceeded, "This is not just about Loki."

Natsu shifted awkwardly in her bed and looked away.

Lucy got up from her chair and plumped herself next to him. "So, tell me what got you so upset," she demanded.

Natsu mumbled something under his breath, still not looking at her.

"What was that?" she leaned closer.

"I couldn't do anything," he admitted bitterly, "I was right _there_ and I couldn't _do _anything! It bothers me!"

"Oh, Natsu…"

"And then Loki shows up out of nowhere, as usual, ready for rescuing you!" he ranted, "And all I can do is stand by and watch as he saves the day and returns your keys and flirts with you-"

"Ok, ok, stop right there." She turned his face to her gently, "Listen, okay? Yes, I can call him without his key, and yes he flirts, but is he any different than the old Loki? He used to go around with at least one girl in each arm. It's part of his nature," she smiled at his resigned face, "and think about it: he was here for 3 whole years pretending to be human, most spirits can't stand a week! It's only natural that he has a stronger connection here and with me, since I saved his life, _nothing more_. And while I'm thankful that you're always nearby and ready to save me, you have to realize that I am capable of fighting and defending myself. You're not my body guard; you're my _partner_. Yes, we must support each other and help if we can, but I cannot depend upon you all the time."

Natsu remained silent, but nodded, understanding. He knew she was capable of defending herself, but it didn't make him feel any better about not being able to help.

"My keys _are_ very important to me," she let her hand trail down his face and linger in his scarf, meaningfully, "Some came to me from my mother, some were bought, others were won in battle… but in the end they are all dear friends whom I love very much, and if someday I must give them up, it will be with a certainty that whomever has them loves them at least as much as I do." She smiled wistfully.

He snorted. "Tough competition, then."

She smiled at him and leaned closer.

"_You_, however, I will never give up," she pulled him closer by his scarf and he followed compliantly, surprised by her boldness, "Not till my last breath."

"As if I'd ever disappear on you," he smirked, curling an arm around her waist cautiously, still awkward in this new aspect of their relationship.

"See to it that you don't," she leaned her forehead on his, timidly.

"I wanted to burn that guy to ashes for putting his hands on you," he whispered to her.

"Good thing you didn't or we wouldn't have collected the reward," she giggled, "But feel free to reassure yourself that I'm still here."

"Still here… still mine," he breathed as he swooped down to kiss her.

"Yours," she agreed between kisses, "Always. You have the key to my heart."

Natsu leaned back for a moment and tried not to laugh. "That was so cheesy."

"Shut up and kiss me."

* * *

*_Somehow it bothered him – the fact that even though keys seemed to be crucial to summoning, Loki was still able to show without her call_.*

* * *

'º0O0º'

LNights: I don't even know when was the last time I updated, at least a year, going on two? I'd like to thank all my old readers for persevering this far, and the new ones for all the reviews, favourites and alerts this story still gets. It's been a long time since I've written any fanfics, and I haven't watched Fairy Tail for almost as long as I haven't written (I still follow the manga, though), so I hope the new chapters won't be very ooc for them. (Don't forget they're all separate stories, though. Each theme has its own universe unless stated otherwise.)

Thanks for reading! :D

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Up next:

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#16

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**Royalty**

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*_He sulked silently as they made their way home, realizing he hadn't even known his teammate was practically royalty._*

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See ya next chapter!


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